The invention of this application relates to sleeping means for use in providing a comfortable, portable, sleeping location for a person. In particular, although not necessarily exclusively, the apparatus can be used in camping, or in other locations where a person may temporarily wish to sleep, perhaps if they are visiting other persons who do not have sufficient beds for use by them or for use by a child who is sleeping over at a friend""s house. It should therefore be appreciated that the sleeping means can be used in many different environments and can be adopted to different designs to suit the particular environment.
For temporary sleeping accommodation, the use of sleeping bags, which typically comprise an envelope of material which has free ends along one side which can be zipped or otherwise joined together to allow the person to move into and get out of the envelope, is well known. When the envelope is zipped the person is kept warm. A problem with the sleeping bag however is that while the same may provide the warmth required by the user, if the user is lying on a floor, or an uneven surface, they can be relatively uncomfortable due to the relative hardness and/or unevenness of the surface.
It is also known for people to sleep on an inflatable mattress, with bedding placed on top of the mattress such as sheets, duvets and the like. This can provide added comfort but what typically happens during use is that the bedding moves with respect to the inflatable mattress and this can allow the person to come into direct contact with the plastic mattress material which can be uncomfortable and/or unpleasant for the person, often causing them to wake up. Alternatively, the person can slip off the mattress during sleep. This is a particular problem with children and can make the same unattractive to the child.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a sleeping means which allows comfort and warmth to be obtained for the person using the same and for the same to be maintained throughout the night as the person sleep. It is a further aim to allow the sleeping means to be portable and easily stored when not in use. It is a yet further aim to provide added utility to the sleeping means such that other facilities can be provided to the user hence adapting the sleeping means to suit particular requirements and uses such as for example, children""s sleepover parties, outdoor camping and the like.
In a first aspect of the invention there is provided sleeping means comprising a sheet material envelope having an opening into a cavity defined therein for the reception of, and substantial enclosure therein, of a deformable mattress characterised in that the sleeping means further includes a cover section which, in conjunction with the top surface of the envelope, defines a sleeping area in which a person can lie and be supported by the mattress and the cover portion is movable between a first position to substantially enclose the person within the sleeping area and a second position to allow the person to get into or out of the sleeping area of the sleeping means,
Typically therefore the sleeping means has an opening transversely to the length of the sleeping means into a cavity defined by the sheet material envelope for the reception and substantial enclosure therein of the mattress which is typically an inflatable mattress. The mattress is typically inserted into the cavity in a deflated condition whereupon, the same can then be inflated as required for use.
In a preferred embodiment, at least one edge of the cover portion is integrally attached to the sheet material which defines the cavity for the mattress. Typically a further portion of the cover is selectively engageable with the sheet material envelope by any of stud fastenings, loop and hook fastenings, zips or other suitable releasable fastening means so as to allow the cover to be retained in the first position.
In a preferred embodiment the deformable mattress is an inflatable mattress.
Typically when the cover portion is placed over the person in the sleeping area and the potion of the same is selectively engaged in the fist position, only one edge remains free from the sheet material envelope said edge being that most closely located to the head end of the sleeping means.
In one embodiment, when sleeping means includes a pillow receiving section which can receive either a pillow which is separate to the mattress or, preferably, a pillow which is formed by a formed part of the inflatable mattress.
In one embodiment, when the sleeping means is not in use, the separate pillow can be removed from the pillow receiving section of the mattress can be deflated so as not to fill the pillow receiving section, and said pillow receiving section vacate the is used as a storage means such that the mattress and the remaining sheet material are moved, typically by rolling up the same, and placed into the pillow receiving section where it is material for storage. In one embodiment the pillow receiving section can be shaped so as to depict a well known character, or animal or other shape. Preferably said character, animal or shape, or material linked to the same, is also depicted at another location on the sleeping means, typically on the cover portion. This embodiment is particularly attractive to the sleeping means for use by children when cartoon or other well known children""s characters can be depicted.
In one embodiment, the cover portion includes filling and/or insulating material to add warmth. For example the cover can be provided in the form of a duvet or other warmth giving configuration so as to improve the warmth and comfort to the person in the sleeping area.
The fabric used for the sheet material can be any suitable fabric of a type for a person sleeping.
In a further embodiment of the invention an additional portion of sheet material is provided, said portion typically having at least one edge permanently fixed to the sleeping means and some of the remaining parts selectively engageable with the sheet material. Said additional portion when selectively engaged, forms a storage pocket into which the remainder of the sleeping means comprising the sheet material and mattress can be inserted and stored. In one preferred embodiment the additional potion is attached to the underside of the sleeping means such that when the sleeping means is in use it is not normally viewable. Preferably the surface of the additional portion which faces the sheet material of the sleeping means when the sleeping means is in use becomes an outer surface of the sleeping means when moved to a storage condition. Preferably said surface includes an image applied thereto.
Preferably handles are provided such that when the sleeping means is stored, the same can be transported.
Typically the said additional portion is selectively engaged to the sheet material via a zip fastener. Typically the additional portion is selectively engaged once the sheet material and mattress has been moved to the storage position.
In a further embodiment of the invention an inflatable surround is provided around part of all of the sheet material so as to prevent the person sleeping in the same moving of falling off the inflatable mattress and/or to allow further facilities to be provided such as cup holders, book holders, and the like.
In a yet further embodiment of the invention the sleeping means includes an enclosure structure which covers a portion of the sleeping means.
The enclosure typically incorporates a frame over which sheet material can be placed and acts to support and form the enclosure. In one embodiment the enclosure is used as an insect shield to minimise interference from those insects in the environment where the sleeping means is being used.
In one embodiment the frame is formed of a series of inflatable members which can be integral with or separate to the inflatable mattress.
In a further embodiment the frame is, formed of a resilient member or members which are biased to an erected condition so as to allow the same to move between a coiled, storage condition and an extended erected condition.
Preferably the resilient members(s) moves to the extended position automatically upon release and remains in that position until physically coiled.
In a preferred embodiment the inflatable mattress is wholly inflated and deflated via a single valve inlet/outlet. Typically the valve has a diameter of more than 15 mm to ensure rapid inflation or deflation of the inflatable mattress.